Cable-covering press



C. H. MATCHBTT. GGGGGGGGGGGGG PRESS.

No. 450,175. Patented Apr. 14,1891.

UNITED rraras ATENT Finca..

CHARLES H. MATOHETT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CABLE-COVERING PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,175, dated April14, 1891.

Application filed December 2, 1889. Renewed September 1l, 1890. SerialNo. 364.616. (No model.)

T0 all wwnt t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. MATCHETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Lead- Presses;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction ofhydraulic presses, and is more especially intended for such machines asare used in the manufacture of what is known as lead-covered electriccable, being, however, adaptable for the manufacture of ordinary leadpipe.

The invention consists in the arrangement and combination of devicessubstantially as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section showing the lower end of thelead-cylinder and the upper end of the ram. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection throughV the line no x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section through the line y y of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is aplansection through the line z e' of Figs. 1 and 3.

In constructing presses for the general purpose of covering electricalcable with a lead coating it has been generally found most couvenient tohave the hydraulic cylinder undermost with its ram projecting upwardlyand the lead-cylinder placed on the ram-head, the plunger 0f thelead-cylinder being fixed to a cross-head above and sustained byconnecting-rods attached to it and to the hydraulic cylinder, so thatthe upward movement of the ram forces the lead-cylinder up# wardly, andas the plunger of the latter is fixed the lead is forced out through thedie. Such construction is well understood, and I need not further referto it. In these machines it has been found very desirable to re-- tainthe vertical arrangement of `the hydraulic ram and the lead-containingcylinder and its plunger, the dies and forming devices for the lead pipeand for the introduction of the cable to be coated being interposedbetween the ram-head and the lower end of the cylin:

der. The construction involved is somewhat complicated, and excessivepressure of the lead necessary to cause its movement requires greatstrength of parts to withstand such pressure and maintain accuracy ofposition in all parts.

In designing a machine in accordance with my, invention I am able toeffect the desired result with a construction which is of the simplestpossible character, and at the same time possesses the necessarystrength and rigidity, and provides for the removal and interchange ofcore-tubes with a degree of convenience hitherto unattained, as will beseen on inspection of the drawings in connection with the followingdescription.

The ram-head 1 carries upon it the leadcylinder 2, in which operates theplunger 3. The lower end of the lead-cylinder 2connects with ahorizontel chamberd of about the same diameter, which chamber contractstoward its outer end to a comparatively small bore, in which tits thedie 5, whichI prefer to make bell-mouthed, and retain this in placeagainst the pressure by means of the nut 6, which also affords a meansof adjusting the exact position of the die 5, which determines theexternal diameter of the lead coveringv to be applied to the cable. Thedie and nut may in practice be made in one piece. In the chamber 4 Iplace a core-head 7, either cast integral with the walls of the chamberor securely fastened thereto. This core-head has a generally-cylindricalform, whose axis is in line with the axis of the die 5, and is rigidlysupported beneath by means of the web 8, extending along under thecore-head 7 from the rear of the latter to a point near the exit end ofchamber 4. This construction enables the corehead to resist any amountof pressure which may be brought to bear downwardly upon it by the leadas it flows. The interior of the core-head`7 is bored out, and anadjustable hollow forming-core tube 9 is iitted thereinto from theoutside of the lead-cylinder 2, being inserted and held by means of thethreaded portion 10, provided with a wrench-head 11. The internaldiameter of this core-tubel 9 will be such as to justpermit the passagethrough it of the cable which is to be covered. Its

front end extends slightly beyond the end of the core-head into theflaring mouth of the die 5, thereby forming between itself and the diean aperture for the lead to flow out and form the covering of the cable.

It is necessary to restrict the flow of lead directly from the cylinderby the shortest path to the die and to cause the greater part of it toflow by a gradually-widening path to the sides and bottom of the die, sothat the lead iinally will pass forward with uniform pressure upon allportions of the forming-aperture. I accomplish this by expanding theupper portion of the core-head into a flange or deiiector 13, extendingtoward the wall of the cylinder -posite sides.

or chamber, and constricting the opening in the line of the shortestpath toward the die, and this expanded portion or deector 13 I graduallydiminish or cut away downward on both sides'of the core-head, so as toallow a freer passage forward as the tl'ow of lead approaches the bottomof the chamber. The lead which can flow past the detlector 13 thus findsa contracted or choked passage at the upper edge of the deflector13-that is to say, at the point where the lead would otherwise meet withleast resistance-by reason of the shortness of the path and finds agraduallyincreasing opening as it comes down over theA core-head 7. Backof the deliector 13 the core-head 7 is preferably formed with alongitudinal ridge or knife-edge 14 for the purpose of more readilydividing the flow of lead upon both sides of the core-head.

The direct downward pressure of the lead upon the ridge or back of thecore-head is sustained underneath by the supporting-web 8, rising fromthe bottoni of the cylinder or chamber, and the lateral pressure againstthe core-head is substantially equal upon the op- Consequently therewill be no deflection of the core-head from its alignment with the axisof the die 5.

The core-head 7 is made, preferably, of caststeel, of such form andthickness as to withstand the crushing-strain of the in'ward pressure ofthe lead upon it, and projects forward toward the die 5, being reducedexternally to form a sort of nozzle 12. l

On account of the strength and rigidity of the core-head '7, thecore-tube 9 is entirely protected from pressure and strain except uponits slight extension beyond the nozzle of the core-head toward the die5, and the pressure upon this extension or lip is comparativelyinconsiderable from the fact that the principal part of the pressureexerted by the lead ram has been expended upon the core-head and thewalls of the chamber in driving the body of lead forward and reducingits diameter to nearly the size at which it is to be delivered from thedies. Consequently the core-tube 9 may be made of comparatively thinmetal and fitted into the corehead, so as to be readily removed orreplaced, as the conditions of service may require.

Obviously the only thing necessary in changing from one size cable toanother is to change the removable core-tube 9, and if such changerequires also a difference in diameter of the lead covering the die 5will be changed proportionately.

As in practice the core-head 7 will preferably be cast in one piece withthe lower end of the lead-cylinder, it is desirable to make someprovision for access to the detlectingsurfaces in order to smooth themup and properly proportion them. For this purpose I may construct thelead-cylinder in two or more parts-for instance along the line ab, as

v indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 1, or at any other suitablepoint. By this construction all the interior portions and surfaces canbe readily got at, and irregularities of casting rectiied as well assmall changes in form and proportions made.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a lead-press, the combination of alead-cylinder having on one side of its delivery end an openingcontaining a forming.- die, with a compound core located transn verselyin the cylinder in line with the axis of the die and consisting of acore-head rigidly supported upon the bottom of the cylinder, and aremovablecore-tube extending longitudinally through the core-head.

2. In a lead-press, the combination of a lead-cylinder terminating in orleading into a forming-chamber having a die opening on one side, with acompound core located in such chamber transversely to the entranceinline with the axis of the die and consisting'of a core-head rigidlysupported upon the bottom of the chamber, and a removable core extendinglongitudinally through the core-head.

In a lead-press, the combination of the lead-cylinder having at itsdelivery end a transverse forming-chamber terminating in theforming-die, and a core-head in such chamber in line with the die andhaving near its delivery end a defiector, which approaches the wall ofthe forming-chamber most closely at the top and then gradually recedes,leaving a gradually-widening passage for the lead.

4. In alead-press, the combinationof the lead-cylinder having at itsdelivery end a transverse forming-chamber terminating in theforming-die, and a core-head in synch chamber in line with the die andhaving a supporting-web between it and the bottom of the lead-cylinder.

5. In a lead-press, the combination of the lead-cylinder having at itsdelivery end a transverse formingfchamber terminating in theforming-die, and a core-head in such chamber in line with the die havinga supporting-web underneath and a knife-edge or rib along its top.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. BARRETT,

A. E. PFARRE. f

IlO

